Please click on the following link and watch the video of President Obama's speech in Shanghai. Please respond to the speech in one-two paragraphs.
http://edition.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/11/16/obama.china/index.html
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I am very impressed by this speech. One part of it that I found fascinating was that Obama pledged to have 100,000 American exchange students studying in China. I was amazed by that number because I do not feel like anyone could have imagined that just a few years ago. By supporting the forging of new relationships between American and Chinese students, Obama shows that he is willing to forge new relationships between the two countries. While China and America have very strong economic ties, there have been political differences in the past. By encouraging these relationships today, Obama is preparing a friendship between the United States and China in the future. As Obama himself said "I see China' future in you."
ReplyDeleteAnother part of this speech that really interested me was when Obama stated that the prosperity of one country did not have to come at the expense of another, and that both countries can prosper together and because of their relationship. The idea of capitalism, intoduced by Adam Smith, was based on this concept. I believe that a view like that may be what we need to pull out of this world economic crisis.
First off, I just wanted to mention the part in the beginning of Obama’s speech when he recited a Chinese proverb. He said “consider the past and you shall know the future”, and I feel like that was a good way for him to take note of our relations with China in parts of the past but suggest that we move on from there and into a better future. Obama put a lot of emphasis on the interconnection between our two countries, both politically and economically, which I think is something that needs to be continually stressed.
ReplyDeleteThe part of his speech that kind of caught me off guard a little was when he started talking about different universal freedoms. He stated that “freedoms of expression and worship, of access to information and political participation, we believe to be universal rights. They should be available to all people, including ethnic and religious minorities…” I thought it was fairly interesting that he decided to cover the topic of censorship and discrimination of minority groups in China in this way, because it wasn’t exactly too subtle. He pretty much just came right out and implied that he doesn’t agree with the way that China treats these rights, which I thought was a risky decision on his part while he was at a town hall in a major Chinese city.
I was at first surprised that the first question shown in the video was about being able to use Twitter freely. I did not expect this question to be so important to the president. I then remembered how some countries do not have those same freedoms of expression as we do. I was happy that our president believes that being able to the internet freely is important to making the society stronger. I feel we are fortunate to have a leader who does not believe in censorship. It was sad to me that the event was not even completely free, with a Chinese government official not allowing an American reporter talk to a student. I was impressed with how honest Obama was with his beliefs on that subject.
ReplyDeleteWatching this video makes me a little excited because of the impact it could have. The young Chinese students seemed to be very fond of Obama and really interested in his ideas. With the students being China’s future, who knows what impact this speech could have had. Our president could have really inspired these young people to make important changes in their own country. Maybe a few years from now one of those students could hold a high political position in China and be determined to make some changes so that the people of China are a bit freer to express their opinions. Maybe someday because of Obama’s speech, censorship could be a thing of the past in China.
When I first discovered Twitter, I thought it was really stupid. I didn’t understand why people would want to just post updates on their life. Then I started using it and I got kind of into it. The website is fun once and a while because it allows you to follow celebrities and other people that you might admire. Although it’s all in fun, and though some people find it stupid, I think we take it for granted. I was amazed at how the Chinese cannot use it, among countless other websites, and that their cyber use is frequently limited. It makes me feel really fortunate to have freedom of expression and “political rights,” and one being through internet use. I definitely agree that censorship is not right, and that information “flowing freely” could help a society.
ReplyDeleteI was amazed when the reporter could not even talk to the student without pretty much immediately being pushed away. Why are security, censorship and privacy so important that the government needs to impose? Even though he was not addressed a question regarding human rights, I feel as though he answered the question just by the parts of speech in the video. Every time I see a video like this one, where I see how some other countries do not have all the advantages Americans do, it makes me feel more proud to be an American. Many Chinese in the video seemed to respond very positively, even though Obama’s statements were so bold.
As I began thinking of how to write this paragraph (in IR class) Kyle turned to me and with an extremely impressed look summed up my feelings with simply "Obama is the man." We proceeded to talk about how amazed we were with the eloquence and presence Obama held during the video. While Obama referenced the Ping Pong tournament as a commonality between China and the United states I found myself thinking of a better, more applicable one; the commonality of Obama’s sway with the youth of both china and America. Youth on either side of the pacific will decide the fate of the world in years to come and I found comfort that, demonstrated in our shared love of charismatic idealistic realism (Obama in more letters), we may have more in common then I previously believed.
ReplyDeleteI definitely agree with what Dave stated about Obama. He speaks so fluently and really seems to know and be concerned about what he's talking about, and that was the first thing that struck me while I watched the video. Listening to Obama is such a refreshing change from listening to Bush go on and on about, well, nothing that really related to any questions that people asked him. Listening to Obama talk about the basic human rights that every person is entitled to seem so simple to me because I have grown up taking these rights for granted. It's really an eye opener understanding that not all country's are as lucky as we are because they don't have as many freedoms as you. Obama made an interesting point about how countries who educate their women are economically better off. Just as Amy said in her presentation during our firt simulation, it takes just one educated girl to make something of herself, and it seems to me that not every country understands this. Obama also discussed that online information should be "freely accessible", and that the more freely it flows, the stronger a society becomes. There are definitely positive aspects of the internet, such as connecting with friends and family, and informing others of new information. However, there are many discriminatory websites and blogs that display insulting comments. I suppose the Chinese have a somewhat good reason for banning texting and Tweeter, but I think that taking such drastic actions were unnecessary because there are still other ways of communicating. Yet I do agree with Obama in that people have the right to the internet and other forms of commnication via technology.
ReplyDeleteObama's speeches never fail to amaze me. He speaks so fluently and confidently you can't help but root for the man and believe everything he is saying. He really sends of the complete opposite vibe as our last president, whose name does shall not be mentioned. If Bush had made a 57 minute speech, I surely would not have watched 57 seconds of it. With Obama, he leaves you interested the whole time. Obama also was extremely informed, which isn't surprising, but he used facts about China left and right. I found it promising that Obama made this speech trying to better relations with China. The one fact that really stood out at me is how over time our trade from China went from 5 billion dollars to 400 billion in the last I think it was hundred years. This is a promising figure that will most likely continue to grow.
ReplyDeleteHis words on improving technology is also promising and as Jenna said I agree with him there. It was a very nice, friendly way of asking the Republic of China to cooperate. It also was pretty funny to see him explain the hand raising process to the people. He also made sure women got equal oppurtunity giving them the first question, which showed a lot of respect to me. Overall, as Dave said, Obama is the man.
After I watched Obama’s speech to the college students in the town hall, I was left with a very optimistic look on China and the United States relationship for the future. He talked about the good events that have happened, as well as the bad. He compared China and the U.S. and described how we are very similar yet in a familiar way, different. I also liked the way he described his reaction to winning the Nobel Peace Prize. I like how he explained that receiving the Nobel Peace Prize was not just for him but for The United States of America as a whole, and that he is a symbol of a country who has changed rapidly and overcome many obstacles that contained racism, diversity, and other things. I was overall very impressed with his speech. He did not look down at note cards once through the entire one hour of speeches and random questions from the crowd. Most celebrities or important figures have questions already chosen so they can figure out a response to say. I think this questions and answer session really showed the world that he is ready to get down to business and get things done.
ReplyDeleteI was also pleased when Obama put an issue like the banning of websites in China into a bigger picture and he showed the world how important simple things like the internet and technology can be to changing a country or the world. He talked about how he personally approves of such a website like Twitter and other sites because it forces him to hear criticism which allows him to hear other opinions and examine himself to make not only himself, but our government, the country, and the world a better place. I think he really hit the ticket when he said that the internet and the ability to communicate with another can bring the world together and that we can experience and learn different cultures with out leaving our home.
First off, as many people have already stated, Obama is one of the greatest speakers I have ever heard, and to talk for almost an hour with only a sip of water was pretty amazing in itself. I found some things pretty funny during his speech, such as his numerous mentions of ping pong and the fact he had to explain to the Chinese people how the question and answer period would work. Just a few other things I noticed was, in general, it seemed like the girls spoke English more fluently and clearer than the guys and the fact that the Chinese girl didn't referred to Taiwan as Chinese Taipei.
ReplyDeleteOverall, I agreed with much of what Obama said. I liked the way he handled the question about the Noble Peace Prize especially. One thing I do not agree with him about is the one-China policy. I think that if America could rebel against the British over 200 years ago, then why shouldn't Taiwan rebel and become completely separate from China. Towards the beginning of the video he remarked that he and America as a whole welcome the growth of China in the future. It seems to me though that many people that I talked to at least are slightly apprehensive about the future China. As I said before, though, it was overall a very good speech in my opinion and except for these few problems, I liked it very much.
When Obama makes a speech he has a real charismatic way of delivering his ideas that makes you want to listen to what he is saying. After watching a good majority of this video of President Obama’s speech toward students in Shanghai, I felt very hopeful for The United States future relations with China. In the beginning of Obamas speech when he was discussing the rich culture of China and its “journey to the 21st century”, i was very impressed how he had incorporated that fact that he was also eager to see the future positive development between The United States and China. He included many examples from the past that affected our attitude towards China today, such as aid to our soldiers during WWII and a table tennis competition in which both countries competed. In saying this Obama really made it seem that though we may have our differences, ultimately we are all people with, “the same common humanity and shared curiosity”. Also I really appreciated the fact that Obama said ties between the government were not the only ones needed and that ties between the people themselves were important for determining the destiny of the 21st century. He then sought to add that an increase of 100,000 American exchange students would be studying in China in the years to come in order to demonstrate his commitment toward the ties that need to be made. To me this really showed that Obama is welcoming the rise of China while addressing that at the same time the importance of a, “positive, constructive, and comprehensive relationship”
ReplyDeleteSecondly, when Obama brought up the issue of universal rights and everyones right to worship, to expression, access to information and political participation, I thought this to be a bold topic to bring up. It kind of made me think that if he was searching for a strong and lasting relationship between The United States and China, flat out disagreeing with Chinas human rights issues was not the way to go. Though there are many human rights concerns in China, I feel as though Obama could have addressed them at a later time other than at a speech primarily set to discuss the importance of a bond between the two countries. For that reason this segment in the speech intrigued me. Overall, I agree with many of the points brought forth by Obama, a strong bond is needed for the co prosperity The United State and China, and I also strongly to the idea that a relationship isn’t just formed government to government, but person to person.
As I watched this video, it made me proud to live in America. All the freedoms that we have we sometimes take granted of. We do not realize how lucky we are to have a President that believes that censorship is bad. I can't imagine not being able to check my Facebook because my government would not let me. I am also very happy that he addressed human rights in his opening speech. The Chinese people must stand up for their rights as humans because they are not being treated the way that they should be.
ReplyDeleteAlso, while watching this video, my support of Obama grew. I am so happy that he is representing our country, especially in today's society. He speaks with so much intelligence and grace. He is also a very respectful and modest pertaining to his Nobel peace prize that some students asked him about. Like David said earlier "Obama is the Man".
I was very impressed with Obama's speach. From the very beginning he made a genuine effort to appeal to the Chinese students with his interest in both the China of yesterday and of today. He stressed the value of learning from the past and China's evident ability to prosper while staying true to the ancient culture. His awe for China's recent prosperity was clearly visible. In that respect, Obama presented the new administration as a group that is far more open minded than the past one. He sent the message that the world has much to learn from China, and he is very open to strengthening relations in all respects. Because of this he was very well recieved by the students who percieved him as geniunely interested in relations with their country.
ReplyDeleteAs far as human rights go, I feel it was very important for Obama to stress this in his address particularly to the students of today. I think it is an important concept that is deeply rooted in the foundation of our country, and Obama is absolutely correct in stating that these are universal rights that need to be observed everywhere in the world. In my opinion, he was very diplomatic in his method of presenting his views. He opened by talking about the importance of these rights to our country, and without mentioning Chinese policy once, he strongly stated that he would not stand for insurections of any kind in this area. He managed to attacked Chinese policy of censoring, the lack of freedom of speech, and many other flaws in the Chinese system without outrightly mentioning a single one of them. Obama is an incredible diplomat and I feel comfortable knowing that this man is the leader of my country.
While watching Obama's speech that he delivered to the students of Fudan University, not only was I amazed by the public speaking and charismatic personality that Mr. Obama gave, but also by his goals and objectives in trying to reach greater diplomatic relations with China. In his speech he said specifically that he does not believe that the principles that our nation stands for are unique to our nation, but rather believe that certain rights such as, freedoms of worship, expression, of access to information and political participation in political participation are international rights. By saying this he did not directly address the specific issues in China of censorship and the limiting of the internet, but he did briefly brush upon the topic to make his stance understood.
ReplyDeleteThroughout Obama's speech, I really felt like the president was trying to make a conscious effort in improving relations with China. In his speech he specifically referred to proverbs which expressed his intentions such as "there is more to be gained when great powers cooperate, than when they collide" and "consider the past and you shall know the future. Not only did these proverbs help emphasize his point, but it also helped to further connect with the Chinese people to whom he was addressing.
First of all, I like that Obama really stressed the importance of international communication. He said that "one country's success need not come at the expense of another" which I think really referenced the symbiotic relationship that the U.S. is in with China. Both countries have much to lose, and even more to gain by working together, especially on topics such as clean energy. I really like the idea of sister cities, as it increases communication and knowledge of the outside world, and also gives people connections that they desperately need.
ReplyDeleteI also find it interesting that Obama stresses that the U.S. and China are equal emitters of greenhouse gases. I feel that in this respect, the U.S. needs China much more than China needs the U.S. America produces more greenhouse gases per capita than China could even dream about, and it is hardly fair that China is deemed to be one of the biggest contributors since their population is so large, and the fact that they happen to be one of the biggest countries. The United States cannot hide behind the skirts of China for too much longer, if at all, and needs to start taking responsibility for their actions.
Number one, Obama is amazing, as everyone has already said. But it truly is amazing how captivating and intriguing all of his speeches are and how he's able to relate and generate such good ideas and understanding of situations throughout the world. I really appreciate the fact that he is able to recognize the problems that went on between the two countries rather than denying it or not mentioning it which would have been very easy to do. But it's also very beneficial that he talks so much about the positive relationships between China and the US, economically, with the 400 million dollar trade industry, and socially, with the largest exchange student rate being Chinese as well as that US students are studying more Chinese.
ReplyDeleteAnd again, he is able to show America's faults with examples such as his story, like he couldnt have voted fifty years ago and now hes the president of the US, and how Lincoln was able to stand up and speak about freedom in the misdt of the Civil War. But he talks about the future and how America and China are both striving to build for the future and achieve reform in the world. In this part of the speech he is also able to bring up human rights, and the fact that although the US doesnt want to change other peoples governments or hold them back from rising in the world, they do feel that "laws and not men should guarentee the administration of justice". That ties between the US and China need to be made by the people rather than solely the governments cooperation.
p.s. why do the Chinese always have such good posture??
I, like many others who posted before me, was first stricken by the comments made by Obama on the topic of censorship. The extent to which media is censored in places other then the US has really not ever been a vital topic to me personally, the idea that social networking sites such as Twitter could be completely sanctioned by a national government seemed absurd. After watching this video I am even more aware of the plethora of freedoms all Americans take advantage of, and more and more grateful for them.
ReplyDeleteObama handled the entire speech and question session gracefully, and seemed not only informed confident but he engaged his audience. He very tactfully stressed fairness of every sort throughout the speech, especially in his question selection method. He did a commendable job relating Chinese-American relations of he past to a bright international future. By stressing the economic and social ties between the countries he reinforced the sense of goodwill he conveyed during the entire speech, which allowed him to speak of human rights violations without completely ostracizing and offending China.
President Obama impressed me when he started the speech by recognizing the immense growth that the world has seen from China in the last year. Throughout his speech I got the feeling that he genuinely wants to see ties between the two countries improve and not just for the obvious reasons (our economy). He acknowledges that this year marks the 37th year of formal communications between the US and Chinese government/people but that the history between the two nations goes back to when George Washington sent a vessel to the shores of China to begin trade. No leader wants to see a tie that old be severed. I was glad to hear him say that simple rights such as expressing oneself and being able to access information are rights that should be universal. He continuously spoke about many similarities between the two countries (such as the importance and presence of science and technology) and that we both look towards the future and that is why we can continue to have good, lasting relations. My favorite part of his speech was when he states that the most important common tie between the US and China is that we both are constantly researching and implementing new ways to save our environment before it’s too late. After President Obama answered the question about relations between sister cities, I was left with no doubt in my mind that relations between the two countries will continue to prosper. He made it clear that the US and China’s carbon footprint will decrease through means of mass transportation and “cleaner” new buildings seen in both nations.
ReplyDeleteI have only watched the first 10 min. of Obama's speech and all it has made me feel is annoyed and slightly disgusted.
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion, people need to stop being so blind-sided by Obama's charisma. I will agree he speaks more fluently than our former president, however people are looking to him almost as the next FDR to pull them out of their predicaments and are not really listening to what he is really saying and in some ways not even considering the implications of his actions from views other than the typical, democracy-loving American mindset. Most American's believe that Obama's speech was amazing but consider it from a Chinese perspective. He spent the first 10 min. repeatedly going on and on about how great America was and professing its great "four founding principles" which just so happen to be ones that are controversial between China and the rest of the world such as freedom of the press. He repeatedly brought up usage of the internet and freedom for religious minorities. Even though, he attempted to do this as indirectly as possible, a good part of the Chinese population would be able to see that was using this speech to press democracy on the Chinese and make jabs at their country. And to do such things at their town hall in Shanghai was incredibly disrespectful. If his intent was to gain support and co-operation from the Chinese people, then I believe he failed.
If he hoped the population would hear his speech and be inspired, then he also failed. Most of the people in China did not even hear the speech since it was only aired on a small, public television station and not a big news broadcast. Obviously, China doesn't place much value in the American president if they are not willing to even air his speech on their nightly news. If they are not willing to do that, there is no way they would be willing to change aspects of their government either.